


Human or knot

by w_x_2



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Ball Chase, Belly Rubs, Love Bites, M/M, Medical Examination, References to Knotting, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-09-21 08:33:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9539891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/w_x_2/pseuds/w_x_2
Summary: Follows directly after S03E02- Jake helps Ezekiel make sure he isn't becoming a werewolf.





	1. Silly werewolf behaviours

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Debris_K](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Debris_K/gifts).



> Disclaimer: Not my characters, no harm intended, no profit made.
> 
> Someone mentioned wanting werewolf!Ezekiel and Jake giving Ezekiel an examination. I had intended for it to be a quick and short fic but it demanded more time, attention and thought, so here it is: kinda half of each :P

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The satisfaction of finally feeling his teeth sink into the ball he's chased down the hallway is immense.
> 
> So much so that it is almost to the degree of a long awaited, toe-curling orgasm. But that feeling in itself, that rush of fulfillment, it makes Ezekiel let out a noise of anger which sounds like a growl because he should not be having the instinct to run after balls nor be deriving any enjoyment from successfully doing so.

The satisfaction of finally feeling his teeth sink into the ball he's chased down the hallway is _immense._

 

So much so that it is almost to the degree of a long awaited, toe-curling orgasm. But that feeling in itself, that rush of fulfillment, it makes the young librarian let out a noise of anger which sounds like a growl because he should _not_ be having the instinct to run after balls nor be deriving any enjoyment from _successfully_  doing so.

 

Ezekiel turns around, hand going to his mouth to reluctantly take the ball away from his teeth -the feeling of loss is _jarring_ , so he has to move his jaw up and down a few times with his mouth wide open, teeth not touching for a long enough time that when they finally fall against each other his senses are fooled into making the almost-werewolf no longer having the feeling that _something_ should be between them- and stomps back through the hallway, through the main room where everyone is dispersing and _after_ Jake.

 

He's got something new to chase.

 

This catch doesn't need contact though, only needs to become aware that it is Ezekiel's prey, so he doesn't grab onto Jake but instead uses his words. “You think it's funny?” Ezekiel asks with a murderous glare as he finally catches up with the older Librarian in a deserted corner.

 

Jake turns towards the noise, swipes his eyes over Ezekiel's frame, taking special notice of the straight and tense arms falling by Ezekiel's sides and then further down to the hands which are both closed. The one that his eyes focus on is the hand on the right hand side which is holding tightly onto the ball that Jake had thrown down the hallway earlier. Jake makes to reach for the squished ball but Ezekiel draws his hand back and behind himself, out of his reach.

 

“I can throw it again,” Jake offers with his lips curled into a cocky expression which immediately falls away into confusion along with his extended arm once he looks up at Ezekiel's face and takes in his upset features. He'd expected annoyance and possible embarrassment, but not actual hurt, and most certainly not fear.

 

Ezekiel feels his body waver back and forth even though he has a strong stance and spouts, “I just had what was meant to be my last cup of wolfsbane tea. I am meant to be cured!” he exclaims with a voice louder than normal that he's not quite able to control due to the thoughts and emotions clouding his mind and heart. “You think it's a good sign that I'm still mindlessly chasing after a _ball_?” the last word is a shout and it shocks him into awareness of his agitated state, so he tries to slow his quick breathing and calm his busy mind.

 

“Ah,” Jake utters in understanding and smiles, he then takes a step nearer Ezekiel and once again reaches his hand towards the ever-so-slightly shorter man. This time though he drives his arm forward and around the thief. “It was the last dose, it will wear off soon,” he assuages in an easy manner.

 

“How do you know that?” Ezekiel's tone comes out furious -trying to calm himself had been for naught- but it's only because he's scared. Back in the underground lab they had been in serious danger of dying and in the heat of things he pushed fear to the side, but now they are back in safety, and fear boils under his skin because he is _not_ willing to turn into a mindless beast when there is no cause, no one to save, no end in sight.

 

Jake's fingers brush the ball before Ezekiel turns his body, the shoulder of the free hand into Jake, and the shoulder of the hand with the ball away from the other man in order to maximize the distance and to keep _his_ prize away from Jake's reach. Not only did Ezekiel catch the ball fair and square -the feeling of accomplishment is still present in full force- but he's also not allowing Jake to spur him into following after it again by throwing it once more which is what Ezekiel knows will happen if the older librarian gets his hands on it.

 

“You went a bit hairy, fangy and yellow eyed earlier,” Jake lists as he finally draws back his arm but stays just as close to Ezekiel because he still wants to get at that ball. Earlier he had had to walk away and hadn't been able to fully enjoy Ezekiel chasing _after_ the soft and round object because their Guardian had required his attention -he's especially disappointed that he didn't get to watch Ezekiel catch his spoil- so if he gets the chance to throw that ball again, oh, he's undoubtedly doing it. “You have none of those now.” There's no harm in convincing Ezekiel to let him do it too.

 

“I didn't have the want to chase after balls until _after_ we left the lab,” Ezekiel argues back still in his protective position with his occupied hand as far away from Jake as possible, and then further adds, “My eyes?” he rhetorically asks. “No low light levels since then!” he easily answers. “My facial over-active follicles are gone but I can feel my back itching. And my fangs? There hasn't been a need for protection since we left the lab.”

 

“Ei,” Jake murmurs in a soothing tone.

 

“I'm serious!” Ezekiel loudly bursts, both verbally and physically as his body widens and Jake spots the ball he had so wanted coming nearer to him but he doesn't dare move a muscle in its direction because Ezekiel looks genuinely scared again. “What if I'm not actually getting better?” Ezekiel is afraid and hurting, and Jake wants to give him some reassurance but first he needs to drag his eyes away from Ezekiel's right hand which he really doesn't want to do -he wants to play fetch with Ezekiel and just forget about all this werewolf business because Ezekiel is clearly still human and there's just no way that he can be turning into a werewolf... at least Jake doesn't believe so, but the _what if_ is certainly in Ezekiel's mind so Jake takes in a deep breath as discreetly as he can and focuses first on how to get Ezekiel to believe that he doesn't have to worry- but the deliberate movement makes Ezekiel follow the direction of Jake's eyes which had just come from to the ball still held tightly in his grasp and Ezekiel's eyes widen before his lip wobbles and his face falls down to look at his shoes, arm going back behind his back so that the ball is once again out of sight.

 

Ezekiel feels his body shudder as he fights with himself, he wants so badly to throw the ball away, to make it _disappear_ , but at the same time he can't bear to let it go. His body had been out of his control earlier, purely driven by whatever werewolf aspects were still in him, and the possibility that it could happen again terrifies him to his core, sends shivers up his itchy back and makes his hearing fuzz out as he thinks of becoming a werewolf, of _already_ being a werewolf and just not knowing it. This isn't the sexy kind of werewolf that can turn at his chosen will and use his strength to hold someone up as he fucks them, but an animal out of control with no turn back into his human self.

 

“You're gonna be fine Ezekiel,” Jake replies in a gentle tone as he lifts his hand to Ezekiel's shoulder to give him a comforting touch.

 

Ezekiel closes his eyes as he takes in a deep breath to try and clear his thoughts but his mind is presenting the signs and proof that there is a real possibility of him becoming a werewolf. In defeat he asks, “What if it's just a brief relief before I get worse and turn completely?”

 

Jake tightens his hand, trying to grab Ezekiel's attention but the younger man stays in the same position so Jake lifts his other hand, fingers touching Ezekiel's jaw to lift his head and waits patiently until Ezekiel opens his eyes. Then he takes his hands away from Ezekiel and with an inclination of his head utters, “Come on.”

 

“Why?” Ezekiel asks with conflict in his features.

 

Jake's expression is open and caring when he replies, “We'll make sure that you're not turning.”

 

Ezekiel inhales sharply at the realization. He needs to know if he's not completely human, if they know then they can try to find a cure. But the only way to know for sure that he's not completely human is to _trigger_ werewolf behaviours. If he's just human there will be nothing to trigger. He nods to himself, this is the best option. There's just one thing. He can't deal with Jake playing with him right now, not like he had done with the ball, so, “You don't throw the ball,” Ezekiel voices as his condition to agreeing.

  

Jake nods and inclines his head once more, remaining in position until Ezekiel takes a step towards him. Then he turns and silently guides them to a private room.

 

The lights are off in the room that he finds for them and it's perfect because they can already test out a werewolf feature.

 

“Eyes first,” Jake voices as he takes a step inside and turns to hold the door open to wait patiently for Ezekiel to follow through the archway.

 

Ezekiel looks at Jake in the darkened room and tenses up further. The tingling in his hand reminds him of the ball still held in his grasp and also of the reason why he needs to do this: that although he doesn't want Jake to trigger anything, he does want to make sure he doesn't have any werewolf behaviours and abilities in him to be triggered.

 

Jake smiles encouragingly and when Ezekiel steps inside the room Jake takes another step inside and lets go of the door which shuts softly behind them.

 

It takes him a moment to get used to the darkness but he can slowly make out the silhouette of Ezekiel and then his face.

 

Everything else is hard to make out which gives him enough of an answer for Ezekiel's eyes but he still slips his phone out of his pocket and taps it twice before pointing up at the ceiling to bathe them both in a small amount of light.

 

“No glowing,” Jake confirms.

 

Ezekiel nods gratefully and Jake looks intently at him for a moment before looking back towards the door they had come through.

 

“I'm gonna turn on the lights so we can see better,” Jake informs before stepping away.

 

Once the room is lit by the lights above and Jake has moved to stand in front of Ezekiel in the middle of the room, Ezekiel's nervous expression worsens and his feet start tapping the floor, so Jake checks, “Still want me to go on?”

 

Ezekiel shallows and replies. “I need to make sure.”

 

Jake nods and looks around the room for a more comfortable place. They've ended up in a small office that is being used for storage. The chair is laden with books while the table holds a very large box.

 

The box is open and when he gets near enough to peer inside he can see that it's empty. “Give me a hand moving the trunk?”

 

“What for?” Ezekiel protests as he stays rooted in his spot, near to the door, ready to flee.

 

“To test if you have normal strength,” Jake replies without pause.

 

Ezekiel sighs but nods and then moves forward to peer inside the trunk as well. His free hand reaches up to close the lid while the other works the _ball_ inside one of the back pockets of his jeans but Jake also puts a hand on the lid to stop him from shutting the trunk.

 

“Must be open for a reason right?” Jake replies to Ezekiel's questioning expression.

 

“I am not getting my fingers trapped in there,” Ezekiel holds up his now free fingers while he feels the pressure of the ball against his buttock. The loss of it in his hold is once again significant, it's a reminder of how much he wants to chase it again and how much he wants to feel his teeth sink into it after successfully catching it anew- he's not letting it go.

 

“Handle on the side,” Jake informs after he steps across to one of the ends of the trunk. “And we'll hold the lid open.”

 

Ezekiel grumbles but goes to the other far side, places one hand on the handle and the other on the lid to mirror Jake in keeping it open and then pulls up.

 

“Oh,” he utters in exertion as he tenses up further to get his muscles to work harder and help lift the box ever so minimally because Jake is clearly not intending to put his side back down. “No added strength,” Ezekiel complains.

 

“And that's a good thing,” Jake reminds and then moves his side off of the table.

 

“We can put it back down,” Ezekiel complains.

 

“Need to make sure your strength won't kick in,” Jake argues.

 

“Jake,” Ezekiel warns as the lid threatens to close and the box wobbles because Jake has taken a step away and shifted the box without any warning.

 

“It's all good,” he assures as he guides Ezekiel to keep on moving the box. “That was heavier than I thought,” Jake admits as he breathes in deeply once they've set the trunk down on the floor.

 

“What was that for?” Ezekiel demands as he lifts up his arms and then flexes his muscles as he bends and straightens his elbows.

 

“To test your strength,” Jake repeats. “Also, you can sit down now...”

 

_And not run away._

 

Ezekiel hears the unfinished sentence just fine and so without prompt steps back to the table and hops on with his legs dangling from the edge once the ball is out of his pocket and back in his hand so that his butt can rest comfortably on the flat surface of what is now the examination table.

 

Examination table. _Not a hot thought!_ Ezekiel tells himself because he still needs to be scared of the reason why he's actually sitting there. In fact, when he thinks about it, _werewolf_ , it's enough to push away the small burst of arousal that was making its way through his body.

 

“Anything you want me to check first?” Jake checks.

 

“Check everything,” Ezekiel requests.

 

Jake nods and slowly takes a steps forward and then another. He's still not within touching distance and he really needs a plan before he gets near enough because he didn't think this through. Ezekiel is in front of him waiting for an _examination_ _._ And he wants Jake to check _everything_.

 

The scenarios in Jake's head are multiplying extremely fast, each time with a degree of greater intimacy.

 

 _Mental shake_ , he tells himself, _and now a deep breath._

 

“Ok,” Jake finally utters. “You got no pointy teeth poking out but we'll make sure, so open your mouth for me.” Ezekiel does as he's asked and Jake gets all kinds of thoughts about Ezekiel so nicely following his instructions. “Good,” he confirms and then pretends to be paying attention, “Top lip up,” he nods. “Bottom lip down.” He nods again. _What is he nodding at again?_

 

“Anything?” Ezekiel asks when Jake doesn't say anything further.

 

“No-pe,” he slowly replies. _You're checking if he's a werewolf, you're checking his mouth._  “Fangs!” he shouts and then rushes to continue when Ezekiel's eyes look concerned. “No fangs! All looks good.”

 

“Ok,” Ezekiel answers unconvincingly.

 

 _Ok, ok. Get back in the game_. Jake clears his throat and inhales. He can do this. “Your face is smooth but you said your back is itchy, so maybe I can check that out?”

 

“Yeah,” Ezekiel replies and pulls up the edge of his shirt at the back with his free hand as Jake forces himself to walk around the desk before he gets to see more than he bargained for.

 

“Doesn't look hairy to me,” he comments as he takes in Ezekiel's shoulder blades and follows the bones of Ezekiel's spine barely making an appearance to thankfully the waistband of Ezekiel's jeans which is settled above the small of his back and as such not showing any hint of the buttocks that the material is covering.

 

This time Ezekiel doesn't speak but the noise he makes is even more unconvincing, and it is followed by Ezekiel turning the hand he has holding up his shirt so that his palm faces his back before he curls his fingers and scratches his skin with his nails.

 

Jake watches as red marks instantly show up across Ezekiel's back as his hand, and consequently the shirt still held loosely in its grasp, move up and down.

 

“Hey,” Jake soothes as he places a hand atop Ezekiel's to stop it in its movement.

 

Ezekiel whines and Jake slowly pulls their hands away from Ezekiel's lower back to walk back around the table and bring Ezekiel's hand with him.

 

The change in position brings him nearer to Ezekiel and he feels like he should maybe take a step back but he remains just as close because he doesn't want to lose the ground he's managed to cover.

 

“Can I look at your hand?” Jake requests seeing as Ezekiel's hand is already in his.

 

Ezekiel nods slowly, head coming to a stop when he's looking down at his lap so that there is no eye contact between them as he allows Jake to inspect his hand.

 

The standing librarian was kinda thinking that Ezekiel's hand wouldn't be quite human -was starting to fear that maybe Ezekiel was right, maybe the tea hadn't worked like it should- but after all it had only been red marks left behind in the skin uncovered by hair from frantic scratching, not actual blood. It's still good to see that Ezekiel's fingernails are blunt and not werewolf pointy.

 

“Perfectly human,” Jake assures. “I can't really think of anything else to test either, so I'd say you pass.”

 

“Except,” Ezekiel knowingly replies as he brings forth the hand not in Jake's cupped hands that is still holding onto the ball.

 

Jake lets go with one of his hands and holds it out to Ezekiel. “I promise I won't throw it,” Jake solemnly swears. He wants, oh does he want to, but he won't.

 

Ezekiel is hesitant as he pushes his hand forward in the direction of Jake's upturned palm. He doesn't want to let go, not because he doesn't trust Jake -the man sounds honest and also understanding of the difficulty that Ezekiel is going through so he's not doubting him- but because he chased after that ball and he caught it, fair and square.

 

 _Mine_. His whole being feels the possession, the claim, and it shouldn't, he shouldn't feel like this. It's just a ball. And yet his stomach churns as he forces himself to uncurl his fingers and allow the ball to drop onto Jake's hand.

 

Jake watches Ezekiel closely as he slowly folds his fingers around the ball and then moves his hand away. Ezekiel's eyes follow every millimetre that his hand moves and when Jake finally pulls the ball behind his back and out of Ezekiel's sight a growl emerges from Ezekiel's throat.

 

Jake quickly brings the ball back into view. “This is just something silly, you've got none of the other actual worrying features so this must be a fluke,” he quickly explains. It really shouldn't be something to worry about, after all it's just a ball, but what if? _No_. Jake needs to believe his earlier conclusion. “You'll see, it'll go away soon.”

 

“What if it doesn't?” Ezekiel worryingly asks as he reaches for the ball.

 

The question echoes in Jake's mind, and the doubt makes itself present again as Ezekiel tightly grabs onto the ball so he asks, “How's your smell?”

 

Ezekiel tilts his head and replies, “Fine.”

 

“Is it more pronounced? Can you, can you smell my deodorant or my cologne if I move away?” Jake doesn't just leave it as an if, but actually takes a couple of steps away.

 

Ezekiel breathes in deep and answers, “No, it's normal.”

 

From his spot at a distance, the older man asks, “And your hearing?”

 

“Also normal.”

 

“Can't hear my heartbeat?” Ezekiel moves his head in a no motion so Jake moves his free hand behind his back. “Can you hear me tap against my back?” He asks as he rhythmically touches the tops of two fingers to the skin of his back underneath his shirt.

 

The reply is the same and Jake scours his mind for further attributes that werewolves can have besides the obvious one that he will _not_  be mentioning. _Ever_.

 

“Ok,” he starts hesitantly. “There's something else that we could test.”

 

Ezekiel knows that they have tried plenty of things and each success has worked to assuage him somewhat, to make him more confident that he isn't becoming a werewolf, but he'll keep on trying things if there are behaviours left which could be triggered. “What is it?”

 

“Another silly thing,” Jake carefully informs.

 

The questioning tone from earlier has turned reticent when Ezekiel asks again, “What is it?”

 

Jake winces ever so minimally and asks, “Maybe I should just do it?”

 

Ezekiel's jaw clenches, as do his hands, and he looks back down at the ball that started all this. “Not the ball?” he checks.

 

“Not the ball,” Jake solemnly answers.

 

Ezekiel swallows and straightens his shoulders even as he looks away from Jake's gaze before nodding minimally in approval.

 

Jake's steps are small and measured as he closes the small distance between them. Ezekiel looks so uncomfortable that it makes Jake really not wanna do this. But he wants to help Ezekiel make sure that he's not becoming a werewolf so he reaches up with his occupied hand, offers the ball back to Ezekiel and waits for him to take it before lowering the same hand to waist level, moving it closer to Ezekiel's body before firmly pressing his hand to the younger man's navel. He spreads his fingers wide as his palm settles flat against soft fabric with tensed abdominal muscles underneath it and then Jake slowly moves his hand to his left and slightly down until his thumb brushes the edge of Ezekiel's trousers which are covered by the material of Ezekiel's shirt and then traces back his path to the centre of Ezekiel's stomach, further up and to the right.

 

A feeling of righteousness builds slowly in Ezekiel's belly and his eyes dart back to Jake who is carefully watching his expression.

 

The movement of Jake's hand is slow and careful but when Jake's little finger starts curling around Ezekiel's side the younger man makes a sudden movement, pushing himself into Jake's hand so that the contact is immediately firmer. Just as quickly Jake's eyes fall down to Ezekiel's belly as he pulls his hand away.

 

The sound that emerges from Ezekiel's throat when Jake ends the contact between them can clearly be interpreted as a growl.

 

It's that loss again, it's different to the one that the thief had felt with the ball, but just the same intensity or maybe even more because he's been left feeling bereft.

 

Jake looks up at Ezekiel's facial features to check for any visual werewolf signs -how could it be that the silly things are the ones being triggered but nothing else?- when his hand is plastered back against Ezekiel's body by the bitten man's hand closing around his wrist and forcing it into his desired position.

 

“Ez-zekiel?” he stutters as he checks that the younger man is still _with_ him.

 

But Ezekiel doesn't verbally answer, instead tries to prompt Jake into action by moving their hands so that Jake's rubs against his shirt.

 

Ezekiel's mind is short-circuiting at the pressure against his belly and a little noise of discomfort leaves his mouth as one of Jake's fingers presses into him at a painful angle.

 

“Oh,” Jakes breathes in understanding. “Just, wait,” he gently instructs as he places his free hand on top of their hands to try and still Ezekiel's so that he can control his own hand and soften his touch on Ezekiel's tummy.

 

It's hard work to actually get Ezekiel to comply, but once Jake is free to move his hands as he wants -one grabbing onto Ezekiel's and placing it on his thigh which is the furthest Ezekiel would let it go, and the other hand rubbing softer circles on Ezekiel's belly- the younger man arches his back, stomach tilting into Jake's hand and mewls at the soothing and pleasurable sensation that the movement creates.

 

Jake holds his breath as he watches Ezekiel relax, eyes closing as he gives himself over to the feeling, to the bliss that _Jake_ is giving him by rubbing his belly.

 

_Ezekiel is giving himself over to Jake._

 

Holy god. Jake is so extremely turned on it is ridiculous, much more so than whatever bursts of arousal had sparked through him earlier.

 

“Ok, ok,” he mutters as he convinces himself that he has to stop.

 

With an unhappy groan Jake quickly takes back his hand and takes three, four steps, _away_ from Ezekiel, hips surreptitiously shifting as he tries to make his suddenly tighter trousers more comfortable.

 

Ezekiel's answering noise is just as unhappy but when he reaches out his hands in search of what had been giving him bliss only to find air he opens his eyes to find Jake standing quite a few steps away from him, clearly not in touching distance.

 

He wants to hop off the table and command Jake to continue his touch because nothing can rival the enjoyment he had received but he's got to be in control, won't allow himself to become a mindless beast despite actually clearly being one.

 

“I'm sorry,” Ezekiel apologizes as he shuts his eyes tightly and concentrates on  _not_ moving off of the table.

 

“It's okay,” Jake replies in a soft tone.

 

“I was right, I'm a werewolf.”

 

“No!” Jake denies, and it's not because he's lying to himself, it's because he can see the proof.

 

“We will find another cure,” Ezekiel agrees even though his tone says he doesn't believe it himself.

 

“We don't need to,” Jake replies as he steps forward, but Ezekiel doesn't hear him. “Hey,” he calls out but still no reply. “Ezekiel, look at me.” When the younger man opens his eyes and faces Jake it is clear to interpret that he's accepted that he's a werewolf, but it's okay because Jake knows that he isn't. “Where's your ball?” he asks of Ezekiel and then repeats himself when there's no reply.

 

“Huh?” Ezekiel asks as he closes his hands.

 

Jake reaches out with both hands and grabs Ezekiel's own. “Your ball,” he softly but firmly repeats.

 

Ezekiel closes his right hand tighter but frowns as all he feels is his fingernails digging into his palm.

 

“It's on the floor,” Jake answers for him, tilting his head in the direction where the ball had stopped when it had been released from Ezekiel's hold and rolled its way across the floor. “You dropped it when you were searching out for-” Jake bites his lower lip.  _For me._ “For my hand,” he finishes. “You didn't even notice.”

 

Ezekiel's heart is beating fast as he looks at the ball which is so far away from him and the feeling that he thought would accompany it, the _mine_ , the  _loss_ -which at the time that he had taken it out of his mouth had felt just as great as when Jake had stopped rubbing his belly but in actuality, even though it had seemed like it at the time, not as intense as when he had given it to Jake- is missing.

 

His teeth aren't aching to close around it.

 

It's just- “It's just a ball,” he utters out loud at the realization.

 

“You wanna chase after it?” Jake asks knowingly.

 

Ezekiel shakes his head with a frown. “But how?”

 

“It's wearing off,” Jake replies with a smile. “The tea is doing its job.”

 

“Get it,” Ezekiel orders as he keeps on looking at the ball suspiciously. “I want to be sure.”

 

“Of course.” Ok, so Jake is kinda sad that he won't get to see Ezekiel pouncing after his spoil, but he got to see Ezekiel's blissed expression at getting a belly rub, and that will just have to be enough because he's glad that he was right, that the tea worked, that it's all going away, for good. _Fine_ , he's not over the moon, but he's ok with stepping away from Ezekiel to grab the ball only to come back in front of the younger librarian and endure Ezekiel no longer being affected by Jake quickly moving the ball about -from hand to hand and behind his back, out of sight- nor holding it within biting distance. And after he's asked for permission -Jake had promised that he wouldn't but it's now clear that Jake doing so will not have the effect on Ezekiel that the thief originally feared it would have- he's also ok- _ish_ with Ezekiel not even leaning towards the direction of the ball as it is thrown away from them because he longer has the instinct of _mine_ and  _must have_ _ball_ and  _chase._

 

“I don't _want_ it anymore,” Ezekiel utters in wonder as he follows the movement of the ball rolling away from them and bouncing against the wall to go off in a different angle before coming to a stop near to where they had placed the trunk. He does it with interest, but not because there's something driving him to follow its every movement but because there isn't.

 

“Nothing?” Jake checks with a wide smile as he watches Ezekiel's expression turn happy for the first time since this whole ordeal started.

 

Ezekiel drags his eyes away from the ball and then peers back, just to check. “Nothing,” he replies. “It's just a ball,” he voices in wonder once more.

 

“See?” Jake places a comforting hand on Ezekiel's shoulder- he should stop doing that, it's too much touching for them. “Told you. You're fine.”

 

Ezekiel smiles as he looks at Jake and shakes his head in disbelief. “Touch my belly,” Ezekiel requests.

 

Jake falters, mouth opening and closing as he takes his hand away from Ezekiel and takes a step back, “That's not-”

 

“Before it was fear,” the young thief interrupts as he moves a hand up from his thigh to his own stomach, applying the barest of pressure before he moves it in a slow circle. “But _now_ , it's been the silly things, the ones that give me...” he chooses his word carefully, “... _enjoyment._ ”

 

Jake's hand itches to take the place of Ezekiel's because he knows he can make the touch feel so much better, but he forces himself to utter, “Give the tea some time to work.”

 

“I don't feel anything with my own hand,” Ezekiel justifies as he pulls his hand away enough to make space for Jake.

 

They've made progress, and although Jake does truly believe that Ezekiel is _not_ becoming a werewolf, he also knows that it took some time for Ezekiel to stop being affected by that ball, so it goes to reason it might also take some time for him to stop being affected by belly rubs and Jake really doesn't want the progress that they've made in assuring Ezekiel of his humanness to all slip away in the blink of an eye with just a touch. “Later?” he tries in a raspy tone.

 

“Do you actually believe that the tea is working?” Ezekiel asks in a low voice.

 

“I do.”

 

“Try it?” he requests.

 

Jake bites his lip and explains, “It might not have gone away completely just yet.”

 

“Are you sure nothing else is gonna pop up?” Ezekiel asks.

 

"Of course," Jake replies with a smile and jokes, “What else do you think could _pop_ up? A knot?”

 

 _Oh Holy Fuck_ , Jake swallows as his smile and teasing tone fall away, eyes widening in alarm and breath catching because _what the fuckity fuck brain?_ That was not going to be mentioned! _Ever!_

 

“What?” Ezekiel breathes out in surprise.

 

“I'm sorry,” Jake apologizes after he gasps in a breath.

 

“Is that- Is that a _thing_?” 

 

He shouldn't have said anything, he'd told himself he wouldn't say anything, but now he can't lie nor can he voice the truth for the fear of what else will slip out of his traitorous lips, so his reply is in the form of a slow confirming nod.

 

“That-That's-” Ezekiel swallows and looks at his lap as realization hits him before looking up at Jake. “That's another silly thing linked with pleasure,” he finishes as the shade of his cheeks turn darker.

 

“I'm not-” Jake stops himself and looks down at his feet with interest.

 

“We were gonna try everything,” Ezekiel reminds as heat rushes through his body.

 

Jake shakes his head as he looks up. “I'm not trying this- I'm not- Because... Because.”

 

“Because?”

 

Jake stands up straight and takes in a deep breath as he pushes everything else aside. “Because I know for a fact that you're getting better and we don't need to try this.”

 

“If there's something else to test then shouldn't we try it?” Ezekiel questions with pleading eyes.

 

Jake shakes his head, expression constipated as he replies. “This isn't _just_ something.”

 

Ezekiel nods in agreement, but he asks, “Are you sure that nothing else will come back?”

 

“If anything, something else from earlier in the bunker would have already come back,” Jake assures as his toes curl and he itches to extricate himself from this conversation because he still can't believe that he said  _that_.

 

Ezekiel's tone is questioning but not accusing when he utters, “And you know this because?”

 

“Because nothing else makes sense.”

 

Ezekiel doesn't ask his next question, his eyebrow going up high is enough of an inquiry.

 

“We will keep a close eye on you,” Jake assures. “I can check everything that I did earlier once in a while and we can look for another cure just in case this one doesn't work.”

 

“Is it because you don-” Ezekiel shakes his head at himself. Jake is in a way right, everything that they have tried has brought forth no proof that he's turning into a werewolf, even the ball chase -which he actually doesn't feel like doing at all at the moment- and the belly rub are things which he can technically live with if they are just side effects. It's not like he's actually losing control of his mind, so maybe his mind goes quite blank for a bit while he's enjoying himself, but it isn't something that takes over completely nor for a long period of time, definitely not for eternity. “Ok,” he finally acquiesces. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to tag the work as best as I could with what is present without what's yet to come, apologies if they are not very accurate.
> 
> I am not at all good with timelines so I'll just say that I will try and finish the second part of this as soon as possible :)


	2. Silly human behaviours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezekiel's features turn worried as a wince slips through his lips, “I think you need to check my mouth again.”
> 
> Jake's loose and happy laugh stops abruptly, it's not been that long since he declared Ezekiel to being completely human again. After a close visual inspection though, he utters, “I don't see anything.”
> 
> “Are you sure?” Ezekiel asks as he tries to keep the inside of his mouth on display. “I feel like there's something right-” he places his thumb inside his mouth, taps it on the gum above his right upper canine, “Here.”
> 
> “Let me see.” Ezekiel complies and withdraws his finger from his mouth and down to his chin, hand still remaining on his face, briefly passing his tongue over the area before allowing it to sit back into place. “Lift up your lip.” Once again the thief complies but Jake can't see anything still. “Nothing.”
> 
> Ezekiel runs his tongue over the spot he's concerned about, “Maybe you need to feel it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for only completing this now. I really didn't expect rl to take so many turns recently, although I knew there would be some I thought that I would have more time for _anything_ aside from work, especially writing.
> 
>  
> 
> Hope this reads ok and that it was worth the wait :)

The excerpt that Ezekiel is currently reading doesn't contain another cure -which is a shame- but it does contain information about the wolfsbane tea which he consumed earlier. It confirms Jake's belief that Ezekiel's werewolf instincts and behaviours are supposed to go away, not necessarily all at once, but most certainly, eventually.

 

It's been over three hours since both librarians hit the books and at this point, with the confirmation that _everything_ is supposed to go away, and the unlikelihood of them finding another cure, Ezekiel is ready to give up on the books.

 

 _Eventually_ is what it says in the book, and seeing as everything else had gone away not that long after being bitten, three hours should be more than long enough for belly rubs to stop affecting him in a supernatural manner.

 

Ezekiel gives himself a little nod as he comes to that conclusion and then turns to look at Jake who is sat in the armchair next to Ezekiel's cheerlessly flicking through a book, evidently not finding any helpful information for the current conundrum. “Can you check me again?”

 

Jake's reaction is instant, body rapidly turning in the younger man's direction so that he can face Ezekiel. His eyes run alarmingly up and down Ezekiel's body, looking to see if anything werewolf-y is happening. “Are you feeling anything?” he asks in concern even though nothing appears to be out of the ordinary.

 

Ezekiel gestures with his head in a negative manner and verbally replies, “No.” The relief on Jake's face is easy to spot, and genuine, so Ezekiel is thankful for Jake's continued worry as the relief spreads through him too. “But we can't find any other cures, so we should just check.”

 

Jake swallows and responds with a clipped voice, “Everything that we did before.”

 

Now, Ezekiel hadn't been thinking about _everything_. Nothing else should be an issue unless it has come back, which he really hopes it hasn't, but now that the offer is on the table, he is certainly ok with making sure that nothing's come back in the mean time, so it takes no brain power to decide and reply, “Sure.”

 

It's only a few seconds later when Jake is approaching him with a very light flush to his cheeks and barely concealed relief that Ezekiel realizes that the older man had been making sure that Ezekiel had not been referring to the one thing that they hadn't tried at all during the first examination but only spoken about.

 

“Same order?” Jake asks even as he passes Ezekiel to the light switch, eyes averted so as not to catch Ezekiel's knowing gaze.

 

Ezekiel's reply is in the form of a positive hum as he keeps himself seated in his own armchair and closely follows Jake's movements with his gaze. He can't help but wonder why Jake is thinking about _that_ again. And that in turn makes him think abo-

 

They are plunged into less darkness than the one they had experienced back in the temporary storage room, but Ezekiel still has to take his time to adjust his sight as a smaller light comes on in the distance before it is pointed at the floor. The movement makes it so that he can discern it as Jake's phone, and he follows it closely as Jake comes closer, the light also coming nearer, and by the time that the older librarian reaches him, Ezekiel's eyes have adjusted enough to be able to spot the outline of Jake's body.

 

Their shoes are bathed in light for a brief moment before Jake turns the phone up to face the ceiling, momentarily making Ezekiel blink because of the sudden glare right into his eyes and then Jake is announcing, “No reaction to darkness nor dim light.”

 

“There was definitely a reaction to light,” Ezekiel grumbles. “Were you trying to blind me?” he complains with a couple of blinks.

 

“Don't be such a wimp,” Jake voices with a teasing tone and turns back around. Ezekiel catches the smile in his mouth as it shapes just before Jake's face is completely out of view.

 

“How about a warning?” Ezekiel huffs as he places his hand over his eyes when the library's overhead lights come back on.

 

“Wimp,” Jake teases again, but this time, even though Ezekiel doesn't see any facial expressions, he hears the affection in Jake's voice.

 

Ezekiel takes his hand away from his face, eyes opening to see that Jake is once again coming near him and tries for an unhappy expression but he's in much too good a mood to be able to make it form. “What are you gonna make me pick up this time?” he grumps instead.

 

“Stand up, yep, and now walk forward, just a bit more,” the art expert instructs and once Ezekiel has done so, with a naughty glint in his eyes Jake asks, “Ready?”

 

Ezekiel's negative reply is met with a shrug of Jake's shoulders as his lower lip juts out and the corners of his mouth playfully lift.

 

“Jake,” Ezekiel barely gets to warn before Jake jumps up and towards him. “ _Jake_ ,” Ezekiel rebukes as they both crumble to the carpeted floor.

 

“Well...” Jake's been careful to prop out his hands so that his weight didn't all fall on Ezekiel, so now, once he's steady, he moves to stand up. “That was a success,” he claims as he holds out his hand to help the bitten man rise from the floor.

 

“Did you just miss the bit where we ended up on the floor?” Ezekiel replies as he takes the offered hand and allows Jake to pull him up.

 

“Nope,” he replies in a cheerful tone. “We ended up on the floor because you have no werewolf strength.”

 

“You didn't need to make us fall to the floor for that,” he replies as he looks down to see the floor but is met with their feet. They are quite close, have been since Jake pulled him up, but he doesn't make a move to put any distance between them.

 

“Would you rather have carried another one of those trunks from earlier?”

 

Ezekiel rolls his eyes and admits, “No.” And it's true. The fall itself hadn't been a bad one as he hadn't hurt himself because of the carpet which Jake had guided him to, plus Jake had been considerate not to put all his weight on him. Also… _also_. Most noticeably, Jake's body against his hadn't felt bad.

 

In fact it had felt good... _good_ as in he may have a bit of a chub. Not just may, but does.

 

Jake tilts his head, “Come on, flash me that smile of yours.”

 

Ezekiel arches an eyebrow. “Give me a reason to,” he replies with a challenging tone.

 

“My helpful personality?” Jake complies with a wink.

 

“Hmm,” Ezekiel ponders as he turns his face away from Jake's as though it isn't enough.

 

“Lemme see your teeth,” Jake coaxes, his hand moving of its own accord so that he only notices what it is doing when his fingertips make contact with Ezekiel's chin to turn the younger librarian back to face him.

 

Ezekiel meets Jake's gaze and shows him a flash of a tooth as he draws his lower lip in.

 

The desire for Ezekiel burns hot.

 

It burns hot through his whole body.

 

Up until now it's been ok because he's not done anything to make it known, but now his hand has a mind of its own and his index finger is rubbing the line of Ezekiel's lower lip, urging the thief to let up on biting, and it's a problem. It's a real problem because he's being really obvious and he really needs to reign it in because nothing good can come of Ezekiel finding out that Jake has a massive crush on him.

 

Jake withdraws his hand, clears his throat as he moves his foot a step back and then joins his other foot in the same place to put some space between them and not make it so easy for his hand to reach out and touch Ezekiel.

 

“You wanted me to check you, right?” Jake reminds with a clear cut tone, the charm and tease from earlier completely left behind.

 

Ezekiel's brows start to bunch at the sudden distance – Jake's only taken one step away and yet his mood has completely changed – but he composes himself, nods and opens his mouth. He takes it a step further and uses his fingers to show Jake his gums without any instructions so as to make it easier on Jake's perusal as he steadily looks at Jake's shoulder instead of trying to look at his face because then he'll get lost in trying to decipher why Jake has suddenly gone so cold.

 

Two can play at that game.

 

“Mouth's fine,” Jake declares and watches as Ezekiel closes his mouth. “What was next?” he absently minded asks as he slowly looks up. He knows exactly what it was, but the question allows him some time to scour his brain to try and come up with a safe exit strategy before he has to touch Ezekiel again – there's no saying what his hands will do when they have to be on Ezekiel again. “Do you feel itchy?” he asks when Ezekiel opens his mouth to speak.

 

Ezekiel closes his eyes as he draws his attention to the surface of his own back. “No,” he replies.

 

When Ezekiel opens his eyes his sight automatically goes to the older man's face. Jake is tense, Ezekiel can see it in the shape of his jaw, how it stands out due to his gritted teeth, but trying to think of a reason why Jake is tense battles with the thought of how attractive Jake's jaw looks. “No hairs on your face and nothing more than usual on your arms, so I'd say you haven't got any over-active follicles.”

 

Ezekiel hears the words as though he is under water, but it's ok because he's a pretty good lip reader and staring at Jake's jaw had placed the moving lips in his line of sight. “Perhaps you should still check?” he replies.

 

“Should be fine,” Jake retorts with what sounds like either a distracted or indifferent tone.

 

“You said you'd check everything you did before, are you trying to half ass it?” Ezekiel's tone is not exactly blasé, instead it has a definite accusing tinge to it because it sounds like Jake is trying to skip out on checking him properly after having offered to do so in the first place.

 

“No,” Jake denies as he twitches at the accusing tone – he's not, he's just trying to delay the inevitable. “Just thought it wasn't necessary because you're not feeling itchy, but ok,” he readily complies as he takes a step off to the side. “I'll check.”

 

“Ok,” Ezekiel requites in the same bewildered manner and turns himself around, arm going to the back of his neck to pull his shirt up at the back.

 

“Can't see anything.”

 

Ezekiel pulls the shirt further up so that his back is exposed up to the middle of his shoulder blades.

 

“Nothing,” Jake repeats in confirmation with a clipped tone after a sigh leaves his mouth as he brings his hand back to his side – he wants to touch the naked back, the knobbly spine, the protruding shoulders, the curved sides – he'd barely stopped his hand from making contact after it had reached out without approval from his brain.

 

Instead of allowing his shirt to fall back into place Ezekiel pulls his shirt completely off before sending it flying off into the nearest armchair and turns around.

 

Jake gulps once Ezekiel has turned to face him. His eyes glue themselves to Ezekiel's naked chest and with a quieter tone he observes, “No over-active follicles on your front either.” He pauses, unsure what to say, and it's probably because the sight of Ezekiel's torso, the imagination of what it would feel like to touch it and the noises that Ezekiel would make on contact is controlling the majority of his brain cells. “You can put your shirt back on,” he forces himself to utter.

 

“Maybe you can just try to see if belly rubs still affect me or not.”

 

“I thought we were doing it in the same order?” He's not ready to touch Ezekiel just yet, especially not now that he can feel his cock tingling at the pleasurable sight and possibility of being able to touch all that naked skin if he just reaches out. Jake huffs as he moves both hands behind his back, interlacing the fingers of both hands and tightly holding on.

 

“It's clear you don't wanna do this,” Ezekiel mutters but doesn't linger on his accusation. “Everything else went away. A belly rub was the only thing I was gonna ask you to check before you offered to check everything else.”

 

“Ei,” Jake rebukes as he looks up to meet Ezekiel's gaze. “I am helping because I want to.”

 

“Doesn't seem like it.”

 

“Why not?” Jake challenges.

 

“Your couldn't-care-less attitude.”

 

Jake clicks his tongue in disapproval. “That's how you interpret distraction?” His hands break apart behind his back, both shooting out to grab one of Ezekiel's own so as to bring it up to where he can easily inspect it. Then he uses one hand to hold Ezekiel's in position and the other to manipulate Ezekiel's fingers by touching them one at a time, taking his time to closely examine each and every nail.

 

When Jake goes for his other hand Ezekiel speaks up, “You already checked the other hand, you don't need to check this one too.”

 

“I have all the time and patience,” Jake simply replies as he starts the process again. Ezekiel has nice hands, well, he's got a nice everything, even a nice mouth which sometimes runs away from him, but getting to examine – more like admire – Ezekiel's everyday tools feels personal. Earlier he had only held Ezekiel's hands in his, but now he's making it a point of showing that he is definitely fine with doing this, which means that he's not just rubbing his fingers across Ezekiel's nails and over but also moving his fingers down further to touch directly under the nails – he can explain that as trying to elicit the nails to come into play, but what he's really doing is caressing the pads of Ezekiel's fingers and straining not to allow his hands to wander any further where they can't be explained as investigating.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Ezekiel replies with a faked impatient tone, his hands are being treated very nicely and the pleasure is all shooting down to his centre.

 

“Yes indeed,” Jake agrees, and after a moment apologizes, “I didn't mean to snap.”

 

“You didn't really snap,” Ezekiel concedes.

 

“I just-” Jake clears his throat, shakes out his thoughts, no point in giving his very embarrassing thoughts and feelings away. “How are you feeling about balls?” he asks instead.

 

Ezekiel's mind turns naughty but he also knows which ball Jake is actually talking about so he looks off to the side, back to the table that Jake had previously been using. In it lay several books, and among them the ball that the younger librarian had chased after, plus growled for when earlier in the day it had no longer been in his touch and then, additionally, out of his sight. “Still not calling for my attention,” he confirms.

 

“Good,” Jake smiles as he keeps looking down at Ezekiel's hand even though he's teased every possible finger to try and get its nail to react and extend, thankfully without success each time. “Smell?”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Hearing?”

 

“Normal.”

 

“Belly rub then,” Jake utters in a low tone as he resigns himself – he's already touching Ezekiel, he'll just have to keep a tighter control of his hands when they touch Ezekiel's tummy to make sure that they don't wander to Ezekiel's trail which is so tantalizing and has been in his line of sight since he first looked down at Ezekiel's hands, and further down to, where if only he could be so lucky, the bulge in Ezekiel's pants could be due to hardness and excitement rather than just its normal size – maybe a bit more than normal size but the only reason why it's standing out more to Jake is either because he can't stop staring or it's just in a different position, definitely not hard.

 

“Do your worst,” Ezekiel utters as his abdominal muscles tense in anticipation of Jake's touch, he just hopes he won't melt, nor moan. The last one mostly, it is _very_ important that he does not show his pleasure because this time it won't be a rumble which had been the werewolf in him producing, this time it will be a sexual groan, all human and completely inappropriate.

 

Jake's hands leave his, taking the heat with him for a moment before the warm touch returns in a different part of his body, raising goose bumps as it feels almost too hot on skin that has been exposed and untouched for too long– the heat travels straight to his cock and if he keeps allowing his body to keep reacting to the pleasant sensations he's not gonna be able to hide his fattening dick.

 

“Feeling werewolf-y?” Jake asks as he starts to move his hand across Ezekiel's stomach, not too far up, not too far down, just across Ezekiel's belly button and to the other side of his stomach.

 

“I-” Ezekiel's body lurches on its own and he has to clear his throat as he fights to get back into the same position, to not lean into Jake's touch, to just stay still. “Cold,” he excuses himself and briefly meets Jake's searching gaze. Whatever Jake finds there makes him move and Ezekiel is so glad that his face hadn't betrayed him because Jake keeps going, moves his hand back the way it came from, slowly and softly, but firm enough that it won't tickle.

 

“Anything?” Jake questions as he looks up at Ezekiel, but the younger man is looking down at Jake's hand moving across his tummy so he can't find an answer just by reading the bitten man's face, instead has to wait for a verbal reply.

 

There's no way that Ezekiel can delay his answer any further, and he knows that he has to reply truthfully, that he can't pretend he has werewolf instincts just because it feels good. “No.”

 

“Good,” Jake smiles, hand lingering for a moment longer before he forces himself to withdraw.

 

“All human then,” Ezekiel concludes with a tight smile which he hides by turning around to pick up his shirt. His tight smile is due to the fact that when Jake had taken his hand away Ezekiel had wanted to pull it back, not in a werewolf _must have_ , but in a human _want_ _and desire_ _so much,_ and it's hard not to give in to his wanting body.

 

“Well,” Jake utters and stops. “In the interest of being thorough...”

 

“Yeah?” Ezekiel breathlessly questions as he turns mid putting on his shirt. He doesn't stop to think that it makes no sense to think that _that_ is the one thing that Jake is talking about despite the fact that Jake has pretty much distanced himself at any chance he's had because there is only one thing left that Jake could be talking about, that they've missed out.

 

“Well,” Jake repeats and then slowly moves away.

 

Ezekiel's heart plummets as he follows the movement and comes to the realization that Jake is going after the ball. He allows his shirt to drop into the place as he bemoans himself. For a reckless moment he'd thought that Jake wanted _more_. That he'd been talking about- Ezekiel shakes his head. _Stop._ He shouts inside his mind as Jake turns back to him again with the ball in hand and approaches him, he can't allow his mind to go _there._

 

Jake doesn't come as near this time, but instead leaves three steps between them before bringing his hand up so that he can slowly move it left and right before making a few quick movements.

 

“Still nothing, eh?” Jake confirms as Ezekiel's eyes leisurely follow the ball instead of jumping after it to keep his gaze locked on his target at all times.

 

“Still nothing,” Ezekiel replies in realization. He feels at a loss. He should be happy, after all there is no longer anything werewolf-y about him. But on the other hand, he no longer has an excuse to have Jake touching him and staying in his presence.

 

“You're all good,” Jake declares. “You still don't feel like chasing balls and you're not feeling anything for belly rubs.”

 

Ezekiel nods as he swallows. “Still feels good,” he admits with a small smile and a bit of heat in his cheeks. “But not consuming, not a _must_ have.”

 

“Good,” Jake congratulates with a genuine smile.

 

“Yes,” Ezekiel agrees. “Well, I guess we no longer have to worry about me turning into a werewolf then.”

 

“Indeed, back to being completely human.”

 

“Thanks for helping me,” Ezekiel gratefully conveys.

 

Jake steps up to him, hand going up to Ezekiel's shoulder in a comforting and assuring touch, “Anytime.”

 

Ezekiel smiles at him and then just stands there. He should leave. They don't need to be in the same room anymore. He _should_ leave.

 

“Thirsty?”

 

“Are you gonna offer me tea?” Ezekiel suspiciously asks.

 

Jake laughs, hand tensing on Ezekiel's shoulder in reflex before it relaxes.

 

Ezekiel should leave. He really should because he feels like leaning in and kissing Jake's perfect mouth as his eyes crinkle with amusement.

 

But he doesn't wanna leave. Except, what reason could he have to stay?

 

Ezekiel smiles on the inside, he isn't _just_ a librarian.

 

He changes his facial features into that of worry as Jake is distracted still with a now soft chuckle. “I think you need to check my mouth again.”

 

A lie will do as a reason.

 

Jake's loose and happy laugh stops abruptly, expression turning confused as he moves his sight to Ezekiel's mouth. Ezekiel is quick to open his mouth and Jake lowers his head until he has an easier time looking inside Ezekiel's mouth. “I don't see anything,” he utters after a close inspection which brings his eyes yet closer to Ezekiel's open mouth.

 

“Are you sure?” Ezekiel asks as he tries to keep the inside of his mouth on display. “I feel like there's something right-” his hand grazes Jake's chin as it travels up to his own face, but he's careful not to linger, and then he places his thumb inside his mouth, taps it on the gum above his right upper canine and speaks with his fingers clearly in the way. “Here.”

 

“Let me see.” Ezekiel complies and withdraws his finger from his mouth and down to his chin. “Lift up your lip.” Once again the thief complies but Jake can't see anything still. “Nothing.”

 

Ezekiel runs his tongue over the spot he's claiming to be concerned about, and as he feels heat surge up to his face Ezekiel dares to utter, “Maybe you need to feel it.”

 

“Oo-k,” Jake drawls as he frowns in slight confusion.

 

Ezekiel promptly takes his hand away from his mouth as Jake reaches up and then Jake clears his throat before slowly approaching Ezekiel's mouth further. Ezekiel's luscious and full lips are in the way of his gum with the younger man no longer holding them out of the way, and they are going to make it impossible for Jake to focus if he feels both lips around his searching finger so he brings up his other hand and gently lifts Ezekiel's upper lip with the side of his index finger where the skin won't be so sensitive. Only after that does he bring forth his other hand, careful of his nail so that only the pad of his finger makes contact with the gum.

 

It's hot and wet and it feels just as smooth and hard as his own gum does against his own tongue but he rubs back and forth for a bit longer because Ezekiel has said that he felt something, and maybe he's hallucinating, but he'll surely be worried, and Jake still wants to put his mind at ease.

 

“Nothing,” he repeats after a good search as he takes both hands away to place behind his back where he _does not_ rub his fingers together to feel the heat.

 

“I really thought-” Ezekiel shakes his head. “Maybe it's my mind playing tricks on me.”

 

“Or side effects from the tea,” Jake facilitates eve though he doesn't think it is a possibility. “I think you're clear.”

 

“Yeah,” Ezekiel agrees in a soft voice. “Nothing new's popped up either so I guess you're right.” He looks up just in time to watch Jake blink as his Adam's Apple bobs.

 

“Hmm,” Jake sounds.

 

He makes himself sound aloof when he replies, “And short of _that_ other thing there's nothing else to chec-” Ezekiel purposefully cuts himself of with a wince, better to let Jake complete the sentence in his mind, let him wonder what it is exactly that Ezekiel meant. “Are you sure?” he asks as he brings a hand up to his mouth.

 

Jake frowns. “You feel something again?”

 

“Hmm,” Ezekiel nods as he now uses both his index finger and thumb to touch his gum above both upper canines.

 

“I checked, there shouldn't be anything in there,” Jake assures even as he tries to peer inside Ezekiel's mouth despite the younger librarian's fingers being in the way.

 

“Maybe,” Ezekiel stops and repeats himself after taking his fingers out of his mouth so that his words are clear. “Maybe your fingers aren't sensitive enough.”

 

Jake jerks his head up, eyes jumping to Ezekiel's because that sounded like– it sounded like Ezekiel is trying to get at something but maybe... Jake is clearly reading too much into it. “What?” he asks in a strangled tone.

 

“I'm feeling something,” Ezekiel repeats with a feigned exasperated tone that he feels quite proud of because it sounds so real. “You didn't check everything before because you thought I was fine, but I'm not crazy, I can definitely feel something.”

 

Jake breathes out slowly as Ezekiel's words play in his mind, why is Ezekiel bringing _that_ back up? Matter of fact, why does he keep talking about it when he has been perfectly okay to ignore it since Jake first checked him out.

 

“You did a half assed job before, I'm not letting you do it again,” Ezekiel ascertains as he allows his head to tilt back, causing his nose to rise and give him an air of meaning business before he declares in a no nonsense tone, “Tongues have many nerve endings close to the surface.”

 

Jake holds his breath as he replays the words in his mind, “Y-You want me to test if you have fangs with my tongue?” he rasps.

 

“Much more accurate way of determining whether or not I have fangs for sure,” he observes with as calm a voice as he can as his whole body burns in anxiety of Jake shooting him down and also excitement of Jake following through.

 

Jake's eyes squint, why is Ezekiel doing this, what does he want? What does he _possibly_ expect the outcome from doing this to be?

 

“Get on with it.”

 

 _Oh my God, oh my God._ He can't refuse. He can't because he's gonna get to kiss Ezekiel either way. Jake moves in slowly, one step at a time until he's taken enough steps to close the distance between them and then further until he is in-between Ezekiel's open legs. His nerves bubble up strongly. This is such a bad idea. He really needs to rethink this whole thing through. Or he should. Fine, he'll give it one attempt: why is he going along with this? He gives himself an internal shrug because: oh yeah, he's gonna get to kiss Ezekiel.

 

“Go on,” Ezekiel urges.

 

Jake clears his throat as lowly as he can and leans in so very very slowly.

 

“It's not a kiss,” Ezekiel utters as though it is a reminder when Jake draws nearer enough that he feels Jake's breath on his lips.

 

 _It's not a kiss my ass._ Jake's cock mutters at him.

 

Fangs. _Fangs_. His mind retorts. That's why he's about to explore Ezekiel's mouth, to find out whether or not he has fangs. Jake parts his mouth, tongue sliding over his bottom lip before it slips out and back in.

 

Looking and touching with his fingers had shown that Ezekiel's mouth is _human_. And to be truthful he's not quite so sure he should believe Ezekiel when the thief says that he can feel something, but nevertheless, he instructs Ezekiel to open his mouth.

 

Whatever the reason for Ezekiel wanting Jake to check his mouth, it doesn't matter in making his own decision. Ezekiel may say it's not a kiss but his tongue is still gonna be inside the younger man's mouth and his lips are most likely gonna brush against Ezekiel's. Ultimately their mouths are gonna touch.

 

And oh boy, does he want their mouths to touch, to kiss Ezekiel.

 

Jake inhales, he has to coach himself for this to work, for him not to get lost.

 

It's not a kiss. _Not an actual kiss, so don't get carried away!_ _Don't close your eyes,_ he tells himself as he allows his tongue to poke back out, mouth tilting just so. _It's not a kiss, you don't need an angle._ His tongue slips past Ezekiel's parted lips, making no contact because Ezekiel has been generous in opening his mouth, but he has to feel Ezekiel's gums so he has to curl his tongue. _It's not a kiss, don't lean any further forward._ His tongue curls up, touches Ezekiel's dry lip and he wants to wet it. _It's not a kiss._ Sliding in between Ezekiel's lip and his teeth, up further until the top of his tongue can touch Ezekiel's upper gums and then run along the top to check for fangs is a kind of torture he never wants to end. _Don't touch your lips to his._ Jake pushes his tongue further back, but he doesn't feel anything, and it's not just because he's distracted, it's also because there's absolutely _nothing_ there. _Ezekiel is watching your every movement, just go back to the middle and to the other side._

 

Jake's tongue feels hot and wet inside his mouth as it pushes and slides its way across his upper gums, but Ezekiel remains unmoving.

 

It would be so easy to curl his tongue inward, to draw Ezekiel's lip between his own and caress it, to steal a kiss. Jake pulls back, inhaling deeply as he fights to stop the rush of blood from flowing south.

 

“Couldn't feel anything,” Jake utters as he blinks and then brings up a hand to the inner corner of his eyes, rubbing there as a pretence that he is itchy so that he doesn't have to meet Ezekiel's gaze, so that he can hide his flushed cheeks and the moment that Ezekiel sees and realizes that this has affected Jake in a way it was not supposed to.

 

“You haven't checked my lower gums.” Ezekiel's reply leaves him flabbergasted, and Jake takes a moment to rub the bridge of his nose before taking his hand away from his face and slowly opening his eyes to finally drag them up to meet Ezekiel's gaze.

 

It only takes him a second to recognize Ezekiel's expression. It is unexpected but also explains so much of what has been happening and is also so very welcome.

 

“You-” Jake stops himself and leans in forcefully to properly attach his lips to Ezekiel's, tongue slipping past both sets of lips to meet Ezekiel's just as eager tongue.

 

Ezekiel's features had been mischievous, and most important, wanting. And upon seeing that want there was nothing to hold Jake back.

 

He was so wrong, touching his tongue to Ezekiel's gum and the brief touch of his lip against Ezekiel's when he had reached his tongue toward the back of Ezekiel's mouth had been nothing like it is finally kissing the other librarian who reciprocates his want.

 

With his eyes closed, letting the sensation of their mouths touching washing over him, Jake feels heady and with no control over his body. His hands shoot out to grab for Ezekiel, both settling at his back to bring their chests to touch, heat rushing all throughout his body, lighting up sparks at all points of contact, especially his mouth as Ezekiel nibbles at his lips and then takes his turn at pushing his own tongue inside Jake's mouth to explore and elicit moans from them both.

 

It's a while before they break apart, both thirsty to explore what neither thought they could, but when they do part it is for much needed air. Their eyes meet and Ezekiel smiles, tries his luck, “You know,” he utters, and his tone is heated, “in the interest of being thorough...”

 

“I'll check your mouth all you want,” Jake assures as he leans in to join their lips together.

 

“Not what I meant,” Ezekiel replies after he's allowed his lip to be worried at.

 

“No?” Jake distractedly replies as he keeps exploring and tasting with his tongue as Ezekiel is wanting to keep his mouth free to speak. “What did I miss?”

 

“W _ell_ ,” Ezekiel enunciates with a knowing tone.

 

“Well?” Jake repeats in a manner that means he hasn't clued in yet.

 

“The whole point of this was to find out if I'm human.”

 

“Which you are,” Jake replies and leans in, getting a proper kiss before allowing Ezekiel to go on.

 

“How do you know when you haven't ruled out the _knot_ bit.”

 

“Hmm?” Jake distractedly murmurs as he finally gives up on Ezekiel's mouth for the moment and instead moves down to kiss Ezekiel's neck. “I-”

 

“ _Knot_ ,” Ezekiel repeats. “With a _k_.”

 

“O-Oh,” Jake stammers as he draws back, rubbing a hand across his face before he meets Ezekiel's searching eyes. “You don't actually want me to check if you have a knot, right?”

 

“Why not?”

 

Jake inhales sharply. “Lemme rephrase that.” Ezekiel nods in agreement. “You don't actually fear that you're a werewolf, do you?”

 

“If I didn't fear it, would you still be amenable to checking out if I've become a werewolf?

 

“If you don't fear it, which you shouldn't, then we wouldn't need to.”

 

“But do you want to?”

 

“I'd be willing to try regardless.”

 

“Then I see no reason why we shouldn't attempt to rule it out. After all, when you think about it, there is a possibility that things we haven't yet tried could pop into existence.”

 

“I see what you did there,” Jake calls him out, but rewards him with a kiss.

 

“Shall we go elsewhere then?” Ezekiel utters against his lips.

 

“Lead the way,” Jake agrees but doesn't let go of him or let him move away for a while.

 

* * *

 

 

It's only  _after_  when Jake is talking him through his reasoning that Ezekiel realizes how many clues there were, all of which he missed.

 

Clues like: “A bit tighter,” Jake instructs as he applies pressure on Ezekiel's hand so that the younger man will know where he wants the constriction. Ezekiel obliges and Jake feels the nimble fingers squeezing his sides, digging in to cause a spike of hurt which his body promptly reads as pleasure.

 

Later even: “Come here,” Jake tells him with the hand at the back of Ezekiel's neck gently guiding Ezekiel's mouth to the spot above his clavicle. Ezekiel drops butterfly kisses there and Jake makes a happy sound. He wants more though, “Give me a couple of hickeys.” And after, “And maybe a few teeth marks?” Ezekiel is so exceptionally good in giving him what he desires.

 

And especially: Jake removes one of Ezekiel's hand at his sides, brings it up to his mouth and distracts him with laving his tongue over his skin as he repositions himself so that he has his right foot planted on the bed. Once Ezekiel's fingers inside his mouth are wet he shifts his weight forward by lifting his heel, and then leaning onto his left side, knee pushing into the bed so that his right butt cheek rises.

 

“That feels good,” Ezekiel praises as Jake hollows his cheeks and slowly sucks his way up to the tips of Ezekiel's fingers.

 

“Are you close?” Ezekiel moans and nods in agreement, hips meeting Jake's on his way down to get Ezekiel's cock to grind as deeply inside him as he can.

 

“Gonna get your seed inside me?” Jake rumbles as he undulates his hips with the better purchase.

 

Jake moans as Ezekiel's hips buck at the words and he watches as the younger librarian gasps, feels as Ezekiel aches into him and squeezes his hand tighter around Jake's skin.

 

Yeah, Jake's pretty ready to come too, but first he needs to finish what he started. Not needs, but wants, oh, how he wants.

 

Once Ezekiel's fingertips are stroking his lips he embraces Ezekiel's hand and then moves their hands down together so that Ezekiel's palm runs down his chest and then to his right side, further down to his hips and over the curve of his ass. He presses Ezekiel's wet fingers together and as one moves them to touch his rim.

 

Ezekiel makes a questioning noise and Jake's eyes flutter in pleasure as he applies a bit of pressure on Ezekiel's fingers which in turn exerts pressure against his rim.

 

“Just the tips,” Jake tells him as he plasters himself closer to Ezekiel's front and rubs his cock against his stomach.

 

“Hmm?” Ezekiel distractedly asks as he pushes himself further against Jake to help increase the friction and pleasure on Jake's sensitive skin.

 

“Inside me, ple- _a_ -se,” Jake begs.

 

“O-oh,” Ezekiel abortively moans at the understanding and then carefully pushes the tips of his fingers alongside his cock and inside his lover.

 

“Yesss,” Jake moans, body shuddering as he orgasms.

 

With Jake's movement above him and his fluttering hole, Ezekiel is fast to reach his orgasm. “Ah,” Ezekiel finishes with a little pleased moan and then releases the death grip he has on Jake's side to run it up and down his length with soothing touches.

 

“Hmm,” Jake sounds in appreciation and grinds down and forward into Ezekiel, feeling both the pressure inside him and the pleasure against his cock.

 

When Ezekiel finally makes a move to leave the inside of Jake's warm passage he is met with a whine.

 

“Please,” Jake utters as his hand clamps over Ezekiel's own.

 

“Want me to stay inside?” Ezekiel checks.

 

“For a bit.”

 

Ezekiel smiles softly and happily replies, “Yeah, ok.”

 

Jake smiles wide in gratitude. “That was good,” he utters in a soft and languid tone. And then Jake drops _the_ bomb in as calm a tone, “It's just a shame it wasn't successful.”

 

“Oh?” Ezekiel asks in a confused and slightly worried tone.

 

“You managed to stay human but it's clear that your werewolf instincts are there.”

 

“How do you figure?” the thief asks in a more steady tone as he can't recall any worrying behaviours from their recent time together.

 

Jake finally moves from his plastered position against Ezekiel, careful though not to dislodge Ezekiel from inside him. He moves his free hand to where Ezekiel had been grabbing him throughout and looks down, mischievous smile on his lips when he sees the finger shaped bruises which he strokes and pokes at with his fingers. “Lost some of your control by digging in your fingers.”

 

“Hmm?” Ezekiel ask with a genuine tone of confusion because he did not dig his fingers in due to losing control.

 

Jake runs his hand up his body to his shoulder and his neck, rubbing back and forth. “Marked me with sucking and even _biting_.”

 

Ezekiel runs his tongue over his lips, wanting to lave at the marks and soothe the irritated skin. Probably worry at it too after - Jake has certainly wet his appetite for a bit of roughness.

 

“And you put your fingers inside me to keep me filled up with your seed, mimicking the knot you can't form because it isn't a full moon.”

 

Ezekiel gives a small chuckle because he knows that none of this is thought for worry, that Jake is just teasing him, “That is very sound reasoning.”

 

“Unfortunately,” Jake replies with a nod which isn't just a simple movement of his chin but it is a full body motion which causes him to grind down against Ezekiel before easing back.

 

Ezekiel has the pleasure of seeing and feeling what the sensation does to Jake's body, how he shudders just a little bit in over sensitisation that he clearly enjoys.

 

“Are you sure this was a failure?” Ezekiel asks in as best a fake tone as he can manage.

 

“If you're not certain we will have to retest.” Jake plays his part so much more convincingly.

 

“I'm not certain,” Ezekiel replies with a tight line in his mouth, lips pressed together to heighten the look of anxiety. “The full moon will give definite proof though, right?”

 

“The full moon?”

 

What Ezekiel had meant to find out by that question was whether or not Jake wanted this to happen again, or whether it was a one off. “Unless you think I'm a lost cause.”

 

“Never,” Jake replies with ease.

 

“Good,” Ezekiel replies before leaning in to kiss Jake. Then he parts their lips the bare minimum to utter, “This lycanthropy kink of yours is-”

 

“Not good?” Jake questions with a searching gaze.

 

“Really hot,” Ezekiel corrects.

 

“I-Really?”

 

“Yeah,” Ezekiel replies. “So hot I am gonna make it my mission to find a knotting toy before the full moon.”


End file.
